Building structure



Dec. 3, 1968 KATZ 3,413,775

BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed April 15, 1966 lNVE/VTOR.

EMMANUEL 6'. KATZ 5r e 8 55 a ATTORNEYS.

nited States Patent 3,413,775 BUILDTNG STRUCTURE Emanuel B. Katz, Souderton, Pa., assignor to Tubular Products, Inc, Souderton, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 13, 1966, Ser. No. 542,393 6 Claims. (Cl. 52-727) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Substrates are applied to the outer peripheral surface of at least three discrete sides of a column by means of taped members adhesively joined to the substrates and the face of the column. A cornice is provided at each of the corners of the column. Each cornice is provided with tongues disposed between the column and two adjacent substrates and arms overlying two adjacent substrates. The arms and tongues of each cornice are connected by a web disposed between adjacent side edges of two adjacent substrates. When the substrates are applied to a rectangular column, the method utilized is to pre-assemble two of the substrates with the cornices thereon and attach the same to substrates which have previously been secured to the adhesive strips on the column.

This invention relates to a building structure, and more particularly, to a column having a substrate applied to its outer peripheral surfaces, thereby forming a facing sheet.

Many buildings such as ofiice buildings or railroad stations have columns provided in the lobby or entranceway. These columns are generally hollow or solid and provided with an external facing sheet. It is quite common to use slabs of marble as a facing sheet. The slabs of marble are applied one at a time with more than one slab of marble being utilized to cover the entire face of one side of the column. The application of a marble substrate or any other facing sheet as applied heretofore has been slow and requires skilled workers.

In accordance with the present invention, a substrate is applied to the peripheral surfaces of a column having at least three discrete sides in a manner which is simple, economical, rapid, and can be applied by unskilled labor. The entire length of one surface of a column, from floor to ceiling, is covered by a Single substrate without any seams. Columns can be provided with a facing sheet, pursuant to my invention, in less than one-quarter of the time required to apply a facing sheet according to conventional methods.

In accordance with the present invention, the substrates are applied to the outer peripheral surface of at least three discrete sides of a column by means of taped members adhesively joined to the substrates and the face of the column. A cornice is provided at each of the corners of the column. Each cornice is provided with tongues disposed between the column and two adjacent substrates and arms overlying two adjacent substrates. The arms and tongues of each cornice are connected by a web disposed between adjacent side edges of said two adjacent substrates.

It is an object of the present invention to provide novel structure and method wherein a column having 'at least three discrete sides is provided with a facing sheet in a manner which is simple, rapid, economical, does not require nails or screws or cement, and does not require skilled labor.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a column having a substrate applied to an outer peripheral surface thereof in a manner wherby the structure securing the substrate to the column is not visible.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

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For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a column in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the column, in a partly assembled condition.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a building structure in accordance with the present invention designated generally as 10.

Structure 10 includes a column designated generally as 12. For purposes of illustration, the column 12 is hollow and may be made from any one of a wide variety of materials including metals, plastics, ceramics, etc. Quite often, columns are hollow so that wiring and other conduits may be disposed therein. The column 12 includes side walls 14, 16, 18 and 20.

Tape members 22, 24 and 26 are applied to the outer surface of wall 14 from floor to ceiling. The tape members are parallel to one another and are identical to one another. One or more tape members may be utilized depending upon the width of the wall surface involved. Each of the tape members 22, 24 and 26 have a pressure sensitive surface on their opposite faces.

A substrate 28 is adhesively bonded to the pressure sensitive adhesive on the tape members 22, 24 and 26, thereby being coupled to the wall 14. The substrate 28, as well as the substrates for the other walls of the column 12, as will be made clear hereinafter, may be anyone of a wide variety of materials including plain or anodized aluminum sheeting, a sheet of polymeric plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride, plywood covered with a layer of Formica, etc. The height of the substrate 28 corresponds with the height of the wall 14 so that a single sheet of the substrate covers the same without any seams or joints. The outer surface of substrate 28 is preferably decorative and this may be accomplished by anodizing the same, painting the same, the use of Formica, etc.

Tape members 30, 32 and 34 are applied to the outer surface of wall 18 in the same manner as described above. A substrate 36, corresponding identically with substrate 28 or a different variation thereof, is applied to wall 18 and secured thereto by the tape members in the same manner as described above.

Tape members 38 and 40 are applied to the outer surface of wall 16 from floor to ceiling as described above. A cornice 44 is assembled along one vertical side edge of a substrate 42. A cornice 54 is assembled along the opposite side edge. Cornice 44 includes diverging tongues 46 and 48 connected to curved arms 50 and 52 by a web 53. Likewise, cornice 54 includes similar tongues 56 and 58 connected by a web to curved arms 60 and 62.

The substrate 42 is disposed between the tongue 48 and arm 52 on cornice 44 and tongue 58 and arm 60 on cornice 54. The substrate 42, thusly assembled with the cornices as described, is adhesively bonded to the wall 16 from floor to ceiling by applying the substrate to the pressure sensitive surface on the tape members 38 and 40. In doing so, the tongue 46 is inserted between the wall 14 and the substrate 28. Simultaneously, the tongue 56 is inserted between the substrate 36 and the wall 18.

The arms on the cornices 44 and 54 are preferably curved as illustrated so as to provide a curved outer peripheral surface at the corners of the column 12. Sharp corners are generally undesirable since they are a source of danger if someone were to accidentally fall against the column. Nevertheless, the arms on the cornices overlying the substrates may be parallel to the tongues if desired. The cornices are of uniform transverse cross-section so that they may be extruded from any convenient material such as aluminum, stainless steel, polymeric plastics, etc. The arms on the cornices are flexible to a sufficient degree so as to enable the substrates to be inserted between the juxtaposed arms and tongues.

Tape members 64 and 66 are applied to the outer surface of wall 20 in the same manner as described above. Thereafter, substrate 68 is preassembled with cornices 70 and 72 as illustrated more clearly in FIGURE 2. Cornices 70 and 72 are identical with those described above. Thereafter, the substrate 68 is adhesively bonded to the outer surface of wall 20 by applying the same against the pressure sensitive surface on the tape members 64 and 66.

The method of applying the substrates to the column 12 is generally in the sequence described above. The first step is generally the application of all the tape members from floor to ceiling on the various faces or surfaces of the column. Thereafter, opposite faces of the column are covered by the substrates 28 and 36. Thereafter, substrate 42 is preassembled with respect to cornices 44 and 54 whereupon they are simultaneously applied to the walls 16. Thereafter, a preassembly unit of substrate 68 together with cornices 70 and 72 are applied to wall 20. Generally, no precleaning of the surfaces of the walls on column 12 will be required. With the column 12 covered by the substrates described above and as shown in FIG- URE 1, the manner in which the substrates and cornices are joined to the column 12 is not ascertainable without tearing the substrates or cornices off the outer surface of the column. Thus, there are no visible seams, nails, screws or the like.

The application of the substrates and cornices as described above does not require skilled labor and can be accomplished in less than one-quarter of the time required by conventional methods wherein skilled laborers utilized cement or sealing compound to apply small sections to a column with visible joints or seals. At the same time, a decorative effect is obtained by the nature of the substrates which can simulate marble, grains of wood, etc.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A method of applying a facing sheet on discrete sides of a rectangular column in a building comprising the steps of applying tape members to the outer peripheral surface of each side of the column with the tape members being generally parallel to one another and adjacent corners on the column and extending for the full height of the column, adhesively joining first and second substrates to tape members on opposite sides of the column, preassembling cornices along opposite side edges of a third substrate and then joining the third substrate to tape members on a third side of the column in a manner so that tongues on the cornices are inserted between the column and said first and second substrates, preassembling cornices along side edges of a fourth substrate and then joining the fourth substrate to the tape members on the remaining face of the column with tongues on the lastmentioned cornices being inserted between said column and said first and second substrates.

2. Building structure comprising a column having at least three discrete sides, a substrate overlying each side, cornices including tongues at the intersection of adjacent substrates, means coupling each of said substrates to each side in spaced apart relation, said tongues being in contact with but free from any direct connection with said col umn, the space between said substrate and said column being substantially equal to the thickness of said tongues. each cornice having arms overlying said two adjacent substrates, said arms and tongues of each cornice being connected by a web disposed between adjacent side edges of said two adjacent substrates, with the height of each substrate corresponding to the height of the column.

3. Building structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein said coupling means includes tape members having pressure-sensitive surfaces on its opposite faces, the outer peripheral surface of said arms of said cornices being semi-circular, said tongues diverging away from one another with the included angle corresponding to that between the two adjacent substrates.

4. Building structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein said column is hollow and rectangular, and at least two spaced substantially parallel tape members applied to each side of the column adjacent the corners of the column.

5. Building structure comprising a column having at least three discrete sides, at least one joining strip secured to each side of the column and extending along substantially the entire length of each side, a substrate overlying each side and being adhesively connected to at least one joining strip, said substrates being rigid and being spaced from said column by said joining strips, a cornice at the intersection of adjacent substrates, each cornice having tongues between the column and two adjacent substrates. and said space between said substrate and said column being substantially equal to the thickness of said tongues.

6. Structure as set forth in claim 5 wherein said arms and tongues of each cornice are connected by a web disposed between adjacent side edges on said two adjacent substrates, the outer peripheral surface of said arms being semi-circular, said tongues diverging away from one another with the included angle corresponding to that between two adjacent substrates, said joining strip being tape having a pressure-sensitive surface on its opposite faces and the height of each substrate corresponding to the height of the column.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 163,993 6/ 1875 Hardy 52-727 1,634,862 7/ 1927 Yoder 52-255 1,643,955 10/1927 Rank et al 52-727 XR 1,910,554 5/1933 Loehr et al. 52-254 XR 2,030,135 2/ 1936 Carpenter 24820'5 3,217,456 11/1965 Quigg et al. 52-255 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

ANDREW CALVERT, Assistant Examiner. 

